Miserly Thinking: Understanding the Factors Shaping Public Support Towards Project Wolbachia in Singapore

Project Wolbachia is a vector control method that releases male Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes to curb dengue transmission in Singapore. While research has primarily focused on its efficacy, few studies have examined public opinion. This study draws upon the cognitive miser model and scientific literacy model to examine the factors shaping public support for Project Wolbachia. A nationally representative door-to-door survey was conducted in Singapore (N = 1,000) using multi-stage stratified random sampling. Our findings revealed that while knowledge about Project Wolbachia explains public support, laypeople may often rely on cognitive shortcuts, such as value predispositions, media attention, and pre-existing perceptions, when evaluating novel technologies. Moreover, environmental concern and benefit perception significantly moderated the effects of Wolbachia knowledge on public support for the project. These insights suggest that public health agencies should emphasize Project Wolbachia's health benefits and minimal environmental risks in their communications to enhance public acceptance.